Transparency and Long-Term Thinking
The goal: A council that fronts up, earns trust, keeps the community in the room, and makes decisions that hold up ten years from now.
How we’ll make it happen…
It’s YOUR money. Council works for YOU. You deserve to know where your rates go, how decisions are made, and to be part of the process - not left guessing.
Too often, councils feel like a closed shop. Even when information is public, it’s hard to find, full of jargon, or can feel like it’s shared too late. And when decisions don’t seem to add up, people lose faith that anyone’s thinking about the long term.
That’s not how I work. From the moment I was elected, I’ve pushed for real transparency - turning on live-streaming, opening up decision-making, and asking the hard questions. I’ve done it from inside the system, because trust is built through action. I never forget who I’m here to serve.
As Mayor, I’ll take that further, making council more accessible, more accountable, and more future-focused. Because good decisions today should still make sense ten years from now.
To deliver on that, the council I lead will focus on four key shifts:
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Open Decisions, Clear Reasons
So you’re never left guessing.
You deserve to know not just what council decided, but why.
I’ll introduce a Mayor’s Accountability Report every year - plain English, no jargon - explaining where your rates went, what progress was made, and what’s next.
Major decisions will come with simple Community Impact Statements that show the cost, who benefits, and why it matters.
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Real Conversations, Not Tick-Boxes
So your voice actually shapes the outcome.
Let’s move past the old “have your say” tick-box.
I’ll trial new models like Citizens’ Assemblies - small, diverse panels of everyday people who help guide the big calls.
We’ll test participatory budgeting too, so locals can help decide how small budgets are spent.
And we’ll show you the results of feedback, so it’s not just “we heard you”, but “here’s what changed because of what you said.”
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Leaders You Can Reach and Trust
So it’s easier to stay informed, get involved and hold your elected members to account.
I’ll set up “Cuppa with a Councillor” drop-ins at libraries and community hubs so you can talk directly to those making the decisions.
We’ll create ward-by-ward updates and summaries, so you know what’s happening in your patch.
And we’ll use simple tools (email updates, social posts, short videos) so staying informed doesn’t require reading 100-page reports.
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Planning Beyond Today's Needs
Smart choices now so we don’t pay twice later.
As Mayor, I’ll make sure council decisions plan ahead, not just patch the present.
That means upgrading infrastructure before it fails, protecting the places that make our community strong, and ensuring services like libraries, parks, and city centres don’t fall behind.
It’s about spending wisely at the right time to avoid bigger costs down the track. We’ll build in resilience thinking and publicly report on progress, so you know what’s being delivered, and what’s not.
After resistance from Council colleagues, Councillor Wendy Schollum moved a notice of motion to force Council to debate “turning on” live streaming of Council meetings.
This video (recorded by a member of the community) shows that debate and provides a record of those who voted for and against this transparency. Those who voted against live streaming were Councillors Malcolm Dixon, Damon Harvey, Rod Heaps, Simon Nixon and Kevin Watkins.
Real results…
Good decisions start with good listening. That’s been my approach from day one: not waiting for reports to land on my desk, but getting out into the community to hear things firsthand.
If you’ve ever attended a public consultation, you’ve likely seen me there - not because I had to be, but because I believe that council decisions are stronger when they’re grounded in real conversations.
I’ve stayed connected by:
Chairing the Positive Ageing Trust Hawke’s Bay, Multicultural Advisory Group, City Centres Forum and sitting on the Disability Reference Group
Mentoring the Youth Council for multiple terms
Serving as a board advisor to both the Hastings and Havelock North Business Associations
And simply living the day-to-day reality of local families, as a parent raising two teens here in Hastings
This isn’t about titles, it’s about understanding what matters to people. I’ve used that understanding to push for transparency and long-term thinking from within council.
But transparency and accountability require action. The following is what I’ve done in my time on council to achieve those things:
Early in my first term, I fought hard to bring live-streaming into our council chambers, and won. It was controversial at the time, but I moved a Notice of Motion that forced the debate into the public spotlight. When opposition arose, a community member filmed the discussion and made it public. That moment changed the game for council visibility.
I also became the first councillor in Hastings to attend a meeting remotely. It wasn’t slick tech, it was Skype on a wheeled-in TV. But it meant I could still contribute while home with the flu, and it laid the groundwork for council's COVID-19 response and changes to Standing Orders.
I also challenged council on its size - advocating for fewer councillors, because bloated decision making tables dilute accountability and slow decisions. Though that change didn’t pass, 89% of public submissions supported including a more efficient, community-fit model.
These weren’t symbolic moves. They were practical, persistent steps toward a council that doesn’t hide behind process, and a leadership style that earns trust by being present.
